Are there PhD scholarships in China for international students?
Unofficial answer · Sources checked
Yes. The official pages read for this page name three scholarship programmes that fund doctoral study in China: the Chinese Government Scholarship (doctoral category), the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship (doctoral category) and the MOFCOM Scholarship–CSC Program (PhD category). Under the Chinese Government Scholarship, a master's degree holder under the age of 40 may be funded for a doctoral programme, with tuition, university housing or an accommodation subsidy, comprehensive medical insurance and a stipend of CNY 3,500 per month; a Chinese-taught doctoral programme requires HSK (Level 4), and the application must include two recommendation letters and a research plan of no less than 1,000 words.
What the rules say
Each programme sets its own conditions, and a condition of one scholarship is not a rule for studying in China in general.
| Programme | Who may apply (as printed) | Language requirement | Funding printed | Length printed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese Government Scholarship – doctoral | Master's degree or equivalent, under 40 (Eligibility, item 4) | HSK (Level 4) for Chinese-taught master's and doctoral programmes (item 10); for programmes taught in other languages, the certificate each university requires, such as IELTS or TOEFL (Application Documents, item 5) | Tuition fees; free university dormitory or accommodation subsidy; stipend of CNY 3,500 per month; comprehensive medical insurance at CNY 800 per person per year (Scholarship Coverage) | Not stated in the sections read for this page |
| International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship – doctoral (2025 guidelines) | Master's degree in teaching Chinese as a foreign language, linguistics, international Chinese language education or education-related disciplines | HSK (Level 6) minimum 200 and HSKK (Advanced Level) minimum 60 | Not stated in the section read for this page | Commences September 2025; maximum of four academic years |
| MOFCOM Scholarship–CSC Program – PhD | Not stated in the section read for this page | Scholarship winners must register for an English-taught programme (section I) | Not stated in the section read for this page | 3 years (section I) |
The Chinese Government Scholarship guide sets the doctoral age line at under 40 in section IV (Eligibility), item 4, and the Chinese-language line for master's and doctoral programmes at HSK (Level 4) in item 10. Section III (Scholarship Coverage) prints the doctoral stipend at CNY 3,500 per month, alongside tuition, free university dormitory or an accommodation subsidy, and comprehensive medical insurance at CNY 800 per person per year, with CNY 400 per person for programmes lasting less than six months.
Section VI (Application Documents) adds the paperwork. A postgraduate applicant submits two recommendation letters in Chinese or English from professors or associate professors (item 9) and a study or research plan of no less than 1,000 words (item 8). The same section also requires a notarised photocopy of the highest diploma, academic records with notarised Chinese or English translations where needed, a valid HSK score report for Chinese-taught postgraduate programmes, a pre-admission document from the university applied to, a Foreigner Physical Examination Form valid for six months, and a Certificate of Non-Criminal Record usually issued within six months of submission.
The International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship doctoral category, as printed in the 2025 guidelines, requires a master's degree in teaching Chinese as a foreign language, linguistics, international Chinese language education or education-related disciplines, plus a minimum of 200 on HSK (Level 6) and 60 on HSKK (Advanced Level). Priority is given to applicants who can provide an employment contract with a teaching institution upon completing their studies in China, or proof to the same effect. That edition is dated January 2025 and written for programmes starting between July 2025 and March 2026; those dates belong to that cycle and have passed.
The MOFCOM Scholarship–CSC Program enrollment guide, section I (Supporting categories, duration of scholarship and instruction language), states that the programme supports a Master's programme of 2–3 years or a PhD programme of 3 years, and that scholarship winners must register for an English-taught programme.
Who decides
The Chinese Government Scholarship guide is published by the China Scholarship Council on Campus China. Applications run through an application receiving agency, and item 7 of section VI requires every applicant to provide a pre-admission document from the university applied to — a pre-admission notice issued by the international students' admission department, or an invitation letter from the school or professor. The university of preference also sets its own admission requirements in language proficiency and academic ability for programmes taught in a language other than Chinese (Eligibility, item 11).
The International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship guidelines are published by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC, chinese.cn); the 2025 edition was the most recent edition found on that site when checked. The MOFCOM Scholarship–CSC Program guide is published by the China Scholarship Council on Campus China, and its page gives no academic year and no deadline date, stating instead that applicants should consult the application receiving authority for the deadline of each year.
What the official pages do not say
The Campus China Chinese Government Scholarship page carries no publication date and no academic year, and the sections read for this page state no application deadline and no duration for doctoral study. The sections read for this page also state no stipend or coverage figures for the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship or the MOFCOM Scholarship–CSC Program, and no age limit for either of those two doctoral categories. None of the pages read states how many doctoral awards are made in any cycle.
For the current cycle, the deadline and the opening dates, ask the university's international student office or the application receiving authority named by the scholarship.
Related questions
Do I need HSK for a PhD scholarship in China?
It depends on the programme and the language of instruction. The Chinese Government Scholarship requires HSK (Level 4) for Chinese-taught master's and doctoral programmes, and for programmes taught in other languages the language certificate each university requires, such as IELTS or TOEFL. The International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship doctoral category requires a minimum of 200 on HSK (Level 6) and 60 on HSKK (Advanced Level). The MOFCOM section read for this page states that winners must register for an English-taught programme and states no HSK requirement.
How much does a doctoral scholarship pay?
The Chinese Government Scholarship prints CNY 3,500 per month for doctoral students and senior scholars, plus tuition, free university dormitory or an accommodation subsidy, and comprehensive medical insurance at CNY 800 per person per year. The sections read for this page print no stipend or coverage amounts for the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship or the MOFCOM Scholarship–CSC Program.
Which documents does a doctoral application have to include?
For the Chinese Government Scholarship, the application documents section requires two recommendation letters from professors or associate professors, a research plan of no less than 1,000 words, a pre-admission document from the university, a notarised diploma and academic records, a language qualification certificate, the Foreigner Physical Examination Form, and a Certificate of Non-Criminal Record. The sections read for this page state no comparable document list for the other two doctoral categories.
Is there an age limit for a PhD scholarship?
The Chinese Government Scholarship sets the doctoral line at under 40, in section IV (Eligibility), item 4. The sections read for this page state no age limit in the International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship doctoral category or in the MOFCOM Scholarship–CSC Program.
Sources
- Application Guide for Chinese Government Scholarship — China Scholarship Council (Campus China, campuschina.org)
- Application Guidelines for International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarship 2025 — Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC, chinese.cn)
- MOFCOM Scholarship–CSC Program (Enrollment Guide) — China Scholarship Council (Campus China, campuschina.org)
Checked 10 October 2026
This page is an unofficial summary, is not legal or immigration advice, is not published by or affiliated with the bodies named, and where the official text or the instructions of the university, embassy or exit-entry office handling your case differ, those prevail.